Selection of a replacement propeller for a watercraft can be a daunting task, even for experienced watercraft owners. The replacement propeller must be matched to the engine for the watercraft and be capable of providing the performance desired by the watercraft operator. For example, in choosing a replacement propeller, in addition to matching to the watercraft's engine, considerations must be given to the material makeup of the propeller, e.g., aluminum or stainless steel, the pitch and diameter of the propeller, the propeller's rake, and the degree of propeller cupping. Each of these factors can impact propeller performance and, as a result, many watercraft operators can become frustrated in selecting an appropriate replacement propeller. In many instances, these frustrations can be assuaged by meeting personally with a sales representative who walks the watercraft owner through the various propeller options. However, when choosing a replacement propeller when visiting a manufacturer's or retailer's website, it is generally not possible for the watercraft operator to consult with a sales representative who can guide the operator through the myriad of replacement propeller options that may be available.
Accordingly, some manufactures and online retailers, or storefront retailers that enable online purchases, have websites equipped with interfacing tools to guide a potential purchaser in selecting a replacement propeller. One such manufacture is Turning Point Propellers of Elk Grove Village, Ill. whose website includes an interactive tool that identifies matched replacement propellers based on a series of user inputs, such as engine manufacturer, engine horsepower, engine model, model year, boat category, boat length, boat year, boat manufacturer, and boat model. Despite the intuitiveness provided by such interactive tools, it is not uncommon for a user to have difficulty navigating through the various menus and understanding what selections need to be made to pinpoint a replacement propeller.
One proposed solution has been the inclusion of video that guides the user through the menus and provides advice and/or suggestions for making the selections. The inclusion of video can be problematic however. More particularly, most websites are designed such that a user must select a hyperlink to a video. Selection of the hyperlink will typically cause a new window to popup and play the video or will launch a media player resident on the computer being used to access the website. In the case of the former, if the user has a popup blocker enabled, the new window may not load thereby preventing viewing of the video. In the case of the latter, the media player will load over the website resulting in the video player blocking the website. When the user “clicks” on any part of the website to as to view it, the website will become superimposed over the video player. As a result, it is difficult for the user to interface with the website's interactive tool without hiding the video player.